Anthony looks at the worst things that have greeted him when he's arrived at hotels.
#10 Worst First Impression: Buried Alive
At the Lancer Hotel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Anthony is called in to help the hotel. He discovers that the lobby is filled with storage stuff, including cans of paint, bolt cutters, and microwave ovens. The inside of the microwaves is disgusting, and Anthony throws the worst one in the garbage. The pool is a wreck and the guest rooms smell horrible. The owner's office is filled with stacks of paperwork and Anthony wonders if the owner is a hoarder. A company comes in to clear everything out and take it to a storage pod. The owner agrees that most of it should be thrown out, and Anthony leaves him the keys to the pod. He then shows them the remodeled lobby and room.
#9 Worst First Impression: Niagara Fails
Anthony visits the Ritz Inn at Ontario, Canada, near Niagara Falls. When Anthony arrives he discovers that it's a coin laundry, a wedding chapel, and a moving track business, and has a BBQ pit in the parking lot. Anthony checks the combination room and wedding chapel, and finds a talking parrot and teddy bears. There's a treadmill and freezer that don't belong there, and wicker furniture. The crew makes over the chapel
#8 Worst First Impression: Snoring Beauty
At the CitiGarden Hotel in San Francisco, CA, Anthony reads the online comments about poor customer service. The FD agents explain that the older employees have to train the new ones, and none of them know how many rooms are there. Anthony talks to the GM, Andre, and warns that the operation of the hotel is killing the business. He says that he'd fire Andre if he were his GM. Later, Anthony finds a man sleeping in the lobby. The FD agent confirms that he works for the business next door and Andre doesn't say anything about it. Anthony brings Andre in and shows him how to deal with the man. The man agrees and leaves, and Anthony tells Andre that his job is to be effective. He brings in a management company to help Andre run the place.
Anthony talks about times when he hasn't been able to find the hotel due to the lack of signage.
#7 Worst First Impression: Check-In Challenge
At the Chipman Hill Suites in New Brunswick, Canada, Anthony reads the pamphlet they send him because the front desk isn't manned after 5 p.m. There are only five spots and they're all filled, and Anthony calls to get a parking spot. The woman who answers directs him to a parkade across the street, and admits that a lot of people call.
Once Anthony parks, he's directed to open a mailbox and get his key. The box is full of keys, and he points out that he could go into any room that he wanted. The door doesn't open, and Anthony calls again. The woman directs him to another mailbox with the proper key. Later, Anthony calls in his design team to revamp the lobby so that the guests can meet with someone. There are keyless entry locks with combinations that the FD agent can give out.
#6 Worst First Impression: Dirty Little Secrets
Anthony goes to the Hearth Stone Inn in Nova Scotia, Canada and can't find the place. There's a hole in the wall above the sign, and weeds and cigarette butts everywhere. When Anthony gets inside, he discovers that the rooms smell like cigarette smoke. He uses a quality air monitor and confirms that the room has terrible air quality. Anthony watches the housekeeper's protocol and discovers that her vacuum cleaner is falling apart. He says that she can't use it anymore and kicks it across the room. Anthony then brings in a new vacuum cleaner, but the owner Mike complains that the housekeeper can't take two hours to vacuum a room. Later, Anthony and Mike hash things out and Mike complains that Anthony is pinpointing the wrong things. He admits that Anthony has been right with all of his assessments.
#5 Worst First Impression: Dungeon of Disorder
At the Catskill Motor Lodge in Palenville, NY, Anthony finds icicles hanging over the lobby entrance. He gets inside and discovers that the basement game room is filled with old games. The next room is used for storage and the junk is visible from the hallway. Anthony brings in a design team and turns it into a facility for guests' children.
#4 Worst First Impression: Trouble in Paradise
Anthony goes to the Hotel Iguanazul in Costa Rica and sees trash at the front gate. There are rusted washing and drying machines, and garbage everywhere. When he checks the room, he finds blood on the sheets .and mold on the pillows. Anthony shows it to the owner, Dave. Dave doesn't seem interested and Anthony talks to the GM, Roberto. Roberto recognizes the problem, and Anthony tells him to step up and take charge when Dave leaves for six months. The design team remodels the pool deck and Roberto thanks Anthony for all of his help.
#3 Worst First Impression: Panic in Panama
The Las Olas Beach Resort in Panama has been losing money, and Anthony discovers that there is no shuttle from the airport to the hotel. He takes a taxi and it stalls near the entrance. Anthony has no choice but to walk in the 92-degree temperature. A tractor comes by and Anthony hitches a lift the rest of the way. He immediately leaps into the pool, and later shows the owners their new minivan that a local taxi cab is providing.
Honorable Mention
Before moving onto the top two, Anthony reviews the Ocean Manor, the Newport Inn, the Sea Shell Motel, the Periwinkle Inn, and the Fortune Hotel. There's some cut footage of the Anice Inn and Suites because they didn't have enough time to show it. Anthony is unable to find the owner's office but discovers a room with dozens of dusty shoe boxes and a rotting ceiling.
#2 Worst First Impression: Greek Tragedy
At the Litohoro Olympus Resort in Greece, Anthony uses an UV light to spot stains in the rooms. In the spa, Anthony finds a private pool with filthy mattresses and peeling paint. The grout is covered in mold, and Anthony brings in a local architect to explain that they have to do more than just clean the tiles. The air filter is covered in dust so thick that air can't come through. Anthony closes the spa and turns an empty villa into a private oasis.
#1 Worst First Impression: Insect Invasion
After recapping the last nine worst first impressions, Anthony reveals the #1 Worst First Impression: the Sevilla Inn in Kissimmee, FL. The exterior look clean, but there are hand-written warning signs. The lobby is filled with groceries, and Anthony finds bloodstains on the sheets. The guests in the room check out, and Anthony discovers that there are bedbugs in the mattresses. He calls in experts to inspect the property and they find a bedframe covered in roaches and bedbugs. The exterminators clear the rooms and promise to come back once a week free of charge.
Written by Gadfly on Jul 19, 2016